1. Alice
This sitcom, which ran in the late ’70s, followed Alice Hyatt, a widow who packed up her son and moved to Phoenix to start fresh. She landed a job at Mel’s Diner, where the sassy waitresses and grumpy cook became the heart of the show. It was warm, funny, and gave audiences that comforting “found family” vibe that people still love today.
The show also introduced the world to Flo, whose catchphrase “Kiss my grits!” became iconic for the era. While Alice was a steady hit during its run, it doesn’t get the same nostalgic rerun treatment as Happy Days or Laverne & Shirley. That might be why it slips people’s minds even though it was once a primetime staple.
2. Soap
Before parody sitcoms were a thing, Soap made waves by lampooning soap operas while telling outrageous serialized stories of its own. With an ensemble cast that included Billy Crystal in his breakout role, the show pushed the boundaries of TV with storylines that were anything but “traditional” sitcom fare.
Audiences tuned in weekly to keep up with the wild twists and cliffhangers. The humor was sharp, but it also stirred controversy for its frank approach to taboo subjects. Despite being ahead of its time and running for several seasons, Soap often gets overshadowed by the shows it paved the way for.
3. Barney Miller
This workplace sitcom focused on the detectives at a New York precinct, and unlike many sitcoms of the day, it thrived on witty dialogue instead of slapstick. Hal Linden starred as the level-headed Captain Barney Miller, holding together a squad of quirky but lovable officers.
The show won critical acclaim and even Emmys, but it has faded in memory compared to the flashier comedies of its time. Still, fans remember it fondly for being both thoughtful and funny. It was one of those shows where you could laugh at the antics but also feel the humanity in the characters.
4. One Day at a Time
This series centered on a single mother, played by Bonnie Franklin, raising two teenage daughters after a divorce. It was relatable in a way many sitcoms weren’t, showing the ups and downs of a very real family dynamic. The combination of humor and heart made it a solid success.
Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli became household names thanks to their roles as the daughters. While the title was revived decades later for a reboot, the original ’70s version often doesn’t get as much credit for breaking ground. It was funny, relatable, and more progressive than people tend to remember.
5. Maude
A spinoff of All in the Family, this sitcom starred Bea Arthur as Maude Findlay, a sharp-tongued, opinionated woman who wasn’t afraid to say exactly what was on her mind. It tackled serious issues like politics, feminism, and even abortion, making it one of the most daring shows of its time.
Arthur’s presence gave the show its bite, and audiences either loved or hated Maude’s outspokenness. While it was a ratings success, it’s less remembered than All in the Family or The Jeffersons. That’s a shame, because it truly pushed the limits of what sitcoms could address.
6. WKRP in Cincinnati
This ensemble sitcom took place inside a struggling radio station, with a mix of wacky DJs and a clueless boss trying to keep things afloat. The humor was sharp, but it also captured the feel of a changing media world in the late ’70s.
The show gained a cult following, and its Thanksgiving episode involving turkeys is still talked about by fans. Yet despite its loyal base, it never got the same kind of syndication as bigger hits, so newer generations often don’t stumble across it. It remains a hidden gem of the decade.
7. Good Times
Spinning off from Maude, this series followed the Evans family as they navigated life in a Chicago housing project. It mixed humor with social issues, making it both entertaining and impactful. Jimmie Walker’s “Dy-no-mite!” catchphrase turned into a cultural phenomenon.
The show ran for six seasons and was a ratings success, but it hasn’t stuck in the cultural rotation the way The Jeffersons did. Its balance of comedy and struggle reflected a reality that was groundbreaking at the time, even if many don’t recall how influential it was.
8. Fish
This was a spinoff of Barney Miller, focusing on Detective Phil Fish, played by Abe Vigoda. Unlike its parent show, Fish leaned more into family comedy, with Fish and his wife fostering a group of kids.
It never achieved the same acclaim as Barney Miller, but it was popular enough to last a couple of seasons. The blend of cop-show grit and family sitcom sweetness made it unique for the time. Still, it’s mostly forgotten today except by diehard fans.
9. Rhoda
A spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda starred Valerie Harper as the lovable, sarcastic Rhoda Morgenstern. Moving back to New York, she married and then later divorced, with the show actually depicting the end of her marriage—a rarity for sitcoms of the time.
The show started strong, even pulling in record-breaking ratings for Rhoda’s wedding episode. But after the marriage storyline ended, it lost momentum. Even though it was a big deal at the time, it’s often left out of conversations about classic TV.
10. Chico and the Man
This sitcom paired veteran comedian Jack Albertson with rising star Freddie Prinze. Set in a Los Angeles garage, it focused on the unlikely friendship between the grumpy Ed and the optimistic Chico.
The chemistry between the leads made the show work, but tragically, Prinze’s death cut the series short. For a brief time, it was a hit, but today it’s mostly remembered by those who were watching back then. Its rise and sudden fall make it one of the forgotten giants of ’70s TV.
11. What’s Happening!!
Loosely inspired by the movie Cooley High, this sitcom followed three African American teenagers growing up in Los Angeles. It was lighthearted and fun, capturing the feel of adolescence in the ’70s.
The show made an impression with memorable characters like Raj, Rerun, and Dwayne, and their catchphrases stuck with viewers. Although it was popular enough to get a sequel series in the ’80s, the original doesn’t get talked about much now. It’s one of those shows that people remember fondly once they’re reminded.
12. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
This soap opera parody aired daily, making it a unique experiment in the sitcom format. Louise Lasser starred as Mary Hartman, a suburban housewife dealing with bizarre and often darkly funny situations.
It gained a cult following for its surreal style and willingness to satirize consumer culture and media. Though it wasn’t a traditional sitcom, it was a hit in its own way. Because of its unusual format, it has mostly disappeared from the mainstream TV conversation.
13. Angie
This romantic sitcom starred Donna Pescow as a working-class waitress who falls in love with a wealthy doctor. It had the classic “opposites attract” setup, with plenty of humor mined from their cultural differences.
The show had a strong start, but after its first season, ratings began to decline. While it was short-lived, it made a splash during its debut and even had Robert Hays as Pescow’s love interest before Airplane! made him famous. Today, it’s almost completely forgotten.
14. Phyllis
Another spinoff from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis starred Cloris Leachman as the self-absorbed Phyllis Lindstrom. She moved to San Francisco with her daughter after being widowed, and the comedy came from her attempts to rebuild her life.
Though it was a ratings hit at first, the momentum faded, and the show only lasted two seasons. Leachman was fantastic, as always, but Phyllis didn’t have the staying power of other sitcoms from the same era. Still, it was once a primetime hit that many viewers today wouldn’t even remember existed.
